This coffee is from Yunnan Province in southwestern China, grown in the Menglian Dai, Lahu and Va Autonomous County at 1,350 meters altitude. The coffee is produced by Yunnan Coffee Traders at the Banka mill, using natural processing methods. The cultivar is Catimor (P3, P4 varieties), harvested between December and March. The coffee offers tasting notes of strawberry, caramel, and wafer with a distinctive profile from this emerging coffee-producing region.
Kiss the Hippo launched in 2018 as London's first carbon negative coffee roastery. Every coffee they sell is certified organic by the Soil Association and certified carbon negative, with reforestation projects in Colombia, Madagascar, Zambia, and Nepal through a partnership with Swiss nonprofit On A Mission. They pay farmers at least 50% above Fair Trade prices, often double. The roastery has won the UK Barista Championships three times, with victories by Joshua Tarlo in 2018, Paul Ross in 2019, and Paul Ross again in 2020 and now supplies seven London café locations. Sustainability extends to fully compostable pods, recyclable packaging, a Living Wage commitment, and a partnership with bio bean that turns used grounds into biofuels.
